ABSTRACT
Manpower requirements for an oil shale industry vary according to the phase of development, type of mine operation and retort process, and the design production capacity of the oil shale complex. Colorado's oil shale region is located in a very sparsely settled region on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. Once an oil shale complex is producing at design capacity, manpower requirements stabilize at about one-third the level of the peak requirements. As the oil shale-related population grows, region's need for housing, schools, roads, and all other government services will also increase. There is the risk of physical injury to workers involved in oil shale mining and processing, just as there is risk in any other major mining or refinery operation. Safety techniques in both underground and surface oil shale facilities are similar to those used in coal mines. When forecasting socio-economic impacts of energy development, two issues to consider are timing and the magnitude of these industrial developments.
